Nov 6 Derek Carr, Marshawn Lynch Thaw Out Raiders' Offence at Miami

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- The Oakland Raiders used cryotherapy during their week-long Florida stay, and the jokes were that their offense already was in a deep freeze.

But in a 27-24 win over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday night, before a national TV audience, the offense was thawed out. And then some.

Derek Carr took deep shots, completing 21 of 30 throws for 300 yards and a touchdown, Marshawn Lynch pounded the ball for 57 yards on 14 carries and had two touchdown runs (from near and far), the offense line provided the appropriate cover and Amari Cooper, on the "hands team," recovered an onside kicks with 91 seconds to go.

Maybe the Raiders should invest in cryotherapy for posterity.

What it means: Despite coming into the game having lost five of their previous six games, the Raiders suddenly are in second place in the AFC West at 4-5, two games behind the Kansas City Chiefs with a game in hand against them. And when you look at it from another point of view, the Raiders have won two of their past three, so there’s something to feel good about. Yeah, you could say the Raiders found their mojo, as coach Jack Del Rio would say. They have a shot, and after a poor first half of the season, that’s really all they can ask for at this point.

What I liked: Derek Carr took deep shots and gave the Raiders and their fans a glimpse of last year’s high-powered attack. At halftime, Carr was 9-of-11 for 205 yards and a touchdown on passes thrown more than 10 yards downfield, his most such completions in a game this season. And get this: Johnny Holton entered the game with one catch for a 64-yard touchdown, and his lone catch in Miami was for a 44-yard score.

What I didn’t like: Needing a stop after taking a 20-9 lead, the Raiders' defense, which had just authored a three-and-out, could not get a stop. Instead, the Raiders allowed the Dolphins to march 75 yards in seven plays and 2 minutes, 49 seconds, the big play a 42-yard run by Kenyan Drake. It was deflating, to be sure, but it was not as back-breaking as it could have been. Still, it would have been nice to see the defense answer Lynch’s vintage 22-yard touchdown run.